LOS ANGELES (October 9, 2008) &mdash Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in North America, announced today that STAR OCEAN®: THE LAST HOPE™ for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft will ship on March 3, 2009. With a Japanese release date confirmed for February 19, 2009, Square Enix continues to deliver global simultaneous launches to North American fans.

With this highly anticipated prequel, acclaimed development studio tri-Ace Inc. brings the STAR OCEAN series to Xbox 360 for the first time. STAR OCEAN: THE LAST HOPE continues the franchise's soaring space opera, blending science fiction with fantasy for a unique RPG experience. The refined gameplay features four party members and team-oriented combat, while maintaining the innovative real-time battle system that has become a trademark of the STAR OCEAN franchise.

The newest STAR OCEAN: THE LAST HOPE trailer can be viewed at the Square Enix booth at the Tokyo Game Show 2008. Additionally, STAR OCEAN: THE LAST HOPE is playable for the first time at the Microsoft booth.

STORY

The year is S.D. 10. In the aftermath of World War III, humanity voyages into the stars in search of a new home…and a second chance.

FEATURES

A prequel that combines sci-fi and fantasy elements, spanning multiple planets and the vastness of space itself to recount the origins of the STAR OCEAN universe

Exhilarating combat expands upon the franchise's famous real-time battle system, including the amazing graphics and visual effects only possible on Xbox 360

Features breathtaking CG movies by Visual Works, the cutting-edge studio whose previous work includes cut scenes for the acclaimed FINAL FANTASY® RPG series

STAR OCEAN: THE LAST HOPE is not yet rated by the ESRB. Please visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) website at www.esrb.org for more information about ratings. The official website can be found at http://na.square-enix.com/starocean/.

About Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Square Enix, Inc.

Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd., with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, develops, publishes and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software and publications in Asia, North America and Europe. Square Enix brings two of Japan's best-selling franchises &mdash FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 85 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 46 million units worldwide &mdash under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.

Square Enix, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. with offices in Los Angeles, California. It handles operations in North America, including development, localization, marketing and publishing of Square Enix titles. More information on Square Enix can be found on the Internet at http://www.square-enix.com.

DRAGON QUEST, FINAL FANTASY, STAR OCEAN, THE LAST HOPE, SQUARE ENIX and the SQUARE ENIX logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Square Enix Co., Ltd. in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from owner. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.